Rotary molding machine for biscuit dough



J. c. PATERsoN ROTARY MOLDING MACHINE FOR BISCUIT DOUGH Filed NOV. 50, 1944 FZ7@ u @J2/@Of Patented Aug. 3Q, 1949 "Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTARY MOLDIN G MACHINE FOR BISCUIT DOUGH John Currie Paterson, Ovenden, Halifax, Englandv Application November 30, 1944:, Serial No. 565,944

In Great Britain December 2, 1943 This invention relates to rotary moulding machines for biscuit doughs and the like of the type wherein anendless web running over a knife edge -f-or delivery purposes passes into arcuate contact with the die roll and is pressed into contact therewith by a resilient -extraction roll.

An object of the present invention is to provide improvements adapted to facilitate the extraction of the dough shapes from the die roll cavities without damage or und-ue distortion of the dough shapes and without subjecting the extracting web to undue wear.

Present-day arrangements are open to the objection that the necessary tensioning of the web has been effected uponthe driving side (i. e. the return run) of the web. In thisarrangement the resistance offered by theknife edge means that in order to maintain the web taut (particularly at the part where it leaves the pressure or driving roll) undue strain has to be put upon the web with a consequent shortening of its life, and an aim of the present invention is to avoid the above objection and provide an arrangement whereby adequate tension may be maintained upon the web, including the part where it leaves the pressure or driving roll and runs in arcuate contact with the die roll, with-out subjecting the web to excessive str-ain and unnecessary wear.

Another object is to avoid the objectionable feature of tension applied by screw means, whereby when a web is dry, say when new or after a weekend or other period when it is not in use, sucient tension is given to it to ensure drive without slip, but as the web soaks up moisture lfrom the dough it shrinks and thus increases its tension causing damage by tearing or shortening oi its width.

According to the invention tension is applied to the slack (or upper run of the web) by an automatically operating means such as a gravity actuated web deecting device adapted to position the web with respect to the die roll and maintain a substantially constant tension upon the web.

The invention also consists in a deecting device in the form of a jockey roll applied to the underside of the upper run of the web and posi-1 tioned adjacent the die roll and having counterweight or equivalent means whereby the jockey exerts a substantially constant deflectng pressure against the web and maintains it in appropriate tension.

According to one arrangement the jockey roll is positioned to maintain a portion of the web in substantial arcuate contact with the die roll and 1 claim. (c1. 10i-s) the mounting of the jockey is such` that it has an automatic floating pressure action against the web, the loading pressure being dependent upon the adjustment -of the counterweight.

The accompanying drawing shows a side elevation of a machine according'to the invention.

In carrying the invention into eiect according to one mode as described by way of example, an endless web 2 is mounted so that it laps around the resilient pressure and extracting roll 3 of the rotary moulding machine comprising a feed roll 4 and a die roll 5 mounted to rotate on horizontal axes and to which dough is fed Afrom a hopper (not shown). The web 2 passes through the nip between the die `or moulding roll 5 and the pressure roll 3. A drive to the web 2 is imparted by the pressure roll. The delivery end of the web 2 is passed over the usual knife edge 6 which may be xed or longitudinally adjustable. If desired, adjacent the knife edge, a tracking roller l may be positioned in contact with the underside of the upper run 2a of the web 2 for the purpose of adjusting any tendency for irregular tracking of the web.

Between the die roll 5 and the knife edge E the web 2 passes over a jockey roll 8 the vaxis of which is parallel with that of the die roll 5. 'I'he jockey roll 8 is mounted upon a pair of side levers 9 which are pivoted on a fulcrum axis parallel with that of the jockey roll. The levers 9 extend beyond their pivotal axis and each is adapted to receive a balance or counterweight I0 the position of which on the levers may be varied in order to adjust the loading of the jockey roll 8 or, alternatively, the counterweight may be in the form of a plurality of separate detachable weights.

The fulcrum l I of the jockey roll levers 9 is positioned so that the roll 8 lies adjacent to the die roll 5 with a view to deiiecting the web 2 from the point where it issues from the nip to cause it to pass in a substantial arcuate contact with the lower part of the die roll surface.

The return run 2b of the web 2 travels Iover a guide roll I2 which may be conveniently located co-axially with the fulcrum Il of the jockey roll levers.

Between this guide roll I2 and the knife edge 6 a scraper I3 may be positioned for contact with the underside of the return run 2b of the web and below the scraper a waste hopper I 4 may be provided so that the scrapings from the web may be conveniently collected and discharged from time to time.

Between the jockey roll 8 and the tracking the curvature of the jockey roll. The jockey' roll 8 may conveniently be mounted uponits levers in a readily detachable manner. Forex'- ample, the ends of the levers may have transverse slots I5 in which the' n'dsi orV the' shaftor trunnions I6 of the jockey. roll may be locatedI so that the roll may be readily lifted dut" of the' slots for any purpose.

The jockey roll 8 and counterweight lli-may' be out of balance to ari extent suitable to cause the jockey roll to press upwardly upon the une derside' of the web 2 to hold the WebY irly arcuate contact with the die roll 5 and providethe ap' propriate tension. Dough is supplied to the-rolls 4l and 5V by a hopper mounted above said rolls.

The vvebV 2 delivers the biscuit shapes to an oven band; l1 or other receivingsurface.

In operation, it will be appreciated that owing to thel mounting of the jockey roll Son thecour'- ter-Weighted levers 9 it possess/es ani automatic or' self-adjusting floating action against-V tlev uriders'ide of the web 2 and maintains a substantially constant tension.

The bearings for the various' rollsare located on side frames 8'of the machine aridtl'frolls 5 aredriven in' the appropriate direction and at the desired speeds by trains of gears from a suitable prime mover in known manner.

I claim:

A rotary biscuit moulding machine of the type described comprising a die roll, an endless web travelling over a knife edge and a resilient extraction roll and pressed into contact with the die roll bythe e'tracto'rll, said web having an upper run contacting with an arcuat portion of the die roll, automatically adjustable means applied to the underside of said run adjacent the position where the web leaves the die roll whereby the web is automatically maintained in arcuate contact with the die roll and stretching and shrinking of thev web is automatically accommodated, and including countervveighted levers, a jockey roll supported in said counterweighted levers to exert a substantially constant deflecting pressure against the web and a guide roll located on the pivotal axis of said levers for guiding the return run of the web.

J CHN CURRIE PATERSON REFERENCES CITEDv The following references are of recordii trie le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- FOREIGN PATENTS lli'inilanerj Y l Country at' W 769,432 France Aug 25; 1934 

